


Going Off Script

by n0m_de_plum



Series: Actor & Screenwriter AU [1]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Actors, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Male-Female Friendship, Unresolved Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-08
Updated: 2016-05-08
Packaged: 2018-06-07 03:40:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,180
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6783694
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/n0m_de_plum/pseuds/n0m_de_plum
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Regina is a screenwriter on a HBO tv show, Robin is an actor who plays the main character's love interest. She writes steamy love scenes between the two leads, and he and his co-star sizzle while acting them out...but both are secretly using each other as inspiration.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Going Off Script

“How could you do that?!” she shouted angrily, “You could have been killed!”

“ **You** could have been killed!” he yelled back, “You went to face down a powerful demon alone!”

“My powers can handle demons! You of all people should know that! You're the one who brought me in-”

“Not to kill yourself!” he slammed his hand against the wall, “You may be powerful but you're not invincible! You have to stop being so stubborn-” 

“I'm stubborn?! You put yourself in danger too! You rushed in and-” she cut herself off, tears welling her eyes. She took a deep breath before looking up at him and saying softly, “You can't risk your life for me like that...you just can't. Promise me you'll never do that again!”

He met her graze for a second before crossing the distance between them in two strides. She gasped as he pulled her to him with one hand around her waist, the other tangled in her hair.

“No,” he growled, nose inches from hers, “If I have to risk myself a thousand times to keep you safe I will. Don't ask me say I won't.”

He counted to 10, watching her bottom lip tremble, and then pressed his mouth to hers...projecting nothing but pure, raw passion.

“CUT!!!” the director yelled, “Great job guys. Hot as hell!”

“Ugh,” Zelena groaned, shoving him as he broke away from her lips, “Honestly, is not eating anything with garlic that much to ask?”

He felt his cheeks heat as snickers echoed the studio at her inquiry. The question was, of course, rhetorical, so she stormed away without waiting for a response. 

“Hey! Come on, guys!” Heller, the show's director and executive producer, scolded, “Play nice. We have interviews about the second season in less than an hour, and you two need to seem like you at least like each other! You know the plan. Ramp up speculation and excitement about the characters getting together.”

His red-headed co-star rolled her eyes and snarled, “Yeah, I got it!”

Robin resisted the urge to do the same. 

“Don't worry, Issac, we'll be ready,” he answered.

“Thank you,” the worrisome director huffed before being pulled away by one of his assistants. As soon as his back was turned Zelena stomped out the studio door to her trailer.

With a sigh Robin went over to his chair to attempt to get his stress levels under control. Zelena Weston was undeniably a good actress, but she was also incredibly difficult to work with. About the only thing the two of them agreed on was their mutual annoyance with each other. Something that definitely made their work complicated because they were each other's love interest on the show.

“You alright?” his assistant, Mulan, asked appearing by his side.

“Yeah, fine,” he answered.

“You need anything before the interview?”

“Mints, apparently.”

She smirking conspiratorially and leaned in to elbow his ribs, “Next time you're scheduled to film a love scene I'll have my grandmother make you her specialty: stinky tofu.”

He chuckled, “Go on.”

“Hey, just think about it. I can promise it lives up to its name.”

The two laughed for a moment before Heller reappeared to order her away so that hair and makeup could get him ready for the interview.

It was simple sit down with Entertainment Insider. Just him, Zelena, Heller, and the show's third lead, Killian Jones. At least it would have been simple if Zelena hadn't had to be coaxed out of her trailer.

She did at least act the part when she finally arrived, and the interview went smoothly. The four of them answered questions about the success of the show, dropped hints about the second season storyline that they had just finished filming the second to last episode of. Jones answered questions about playing a villain. He and Zelena discussed characters’ roles as the protagonists, and dropped hints about their romance. That, of course, lead to some awkward questions about rumors of an off-screen romance between them.

Robin managed to keep a straight face while answering that they were only friends, and even to seem fond enough of her to keep the speculation going since he knew that's exactly what the shows producers wanted. Any talk among fans, even if it was only about his and Zelena's personal lives, was considered good buzz. Still...if they only knew!

As they wrapped up the interview, he stopped off at his trailer to change back into his own clothes and collect the script for the last episode to be filmed next week.

He was scheduled to fly to Budapest to be on the set of _Savior_ as soon as the show wrapped up for the season, so he wanted to be prepared.

It was raining when he stepped out of the studio. Not unusual for London, but tonight it was really pissing down! He opened his umbrella, and hurried to the carpark.

He was just pulling out of the studio lot when he caught sight of a woman in a bright blue blazer coming out the studio door. He watched her hunch over, lifting her bag over her head to shield her eyes from the rain.

Robin shook his head with a laugh, and turned the car to drive up behind her where she was jogging across the lot. Upon hearing a car pulling up behind her she glanced over her shoulder, but stopped when she saw him.

He retrieved his umbrella from the floor of the passenger's seat and got out.

"Didn't I tell you to buy an umbrella?" he teased as he opened his and held it over her head.

"What are you doing still doing here?" she asked, brushing wet hair out of her face.

"A 'thank you' would suffice," he answered.

She sighed, "Yes, you told me to buy an umbrella. Thank you for helping me."

He smiled, "Where are you parked?"

"I'm not. I don't have a UK driver's license," she answered, "I was just on my way to the tube."

"Come on," he put his arm around her shoulders, guiding her to his car, "I'll give you a ride home."

When they were both safely inside with the doors closed, he heard her take a deep breath. 

“Where do you live?”

“Wandsworth,” she answered, "but you really don't have to do this. You can just drop me off at the nearest station."

"It's no trouble, Regina," he answered.

"Thank you," she responded with a genuine smile.

He started the car up, and pulled out of the carpark onto the road. There was a normal amount of traffic for the time of day, but the heavier than normal rain slowed things down a bit.

"How was Roland's birthday?" Regina's voice took his attention away from the road.

He looked at her in surprise. She remembered.

Regina Mills was one of the show's writers. They'd met at the cast meet and greet a year ago. This show's production team was an unique one in that the show was filmed in London and most of the on-screen cast was British, but, being an HBO project, most of the production and creative teams were American. Regina had been one of the imports, and one of the few people on the set whom he genuinely found agreeable. 

It had been a coincidence that they managed to bond over the fact that they were both widowed and raising young sons. Which was, no doubt, part of the reason Regina remembered that his son's birthday had been two weeks ago.

He'd been intimidated by having to throw his son a birthday party now that he was getting old enough to actually understand that it was his birthday, and she'd advised him to keep it simple and not try to do anything too extravagant. 

It had been good advice. He felt good about managing to give his son a nice birthday party without going overboard. His career had taken off a lot since he landed this role, but he didn't want the way he was raising Roland to change overnight because of it.

"It was nice," he said, "We visited his grandparents."

She smiled, "Good call. You'll be having to deal his own list of demands soon enough!"

He laughed.

"Ugh, I'm soaked," she complained, pulling off her blazer and jumper. Underneath she was wearing a white tank top that, like the rest of her clothing, was soaked through.

Shifting in his seat he quickly turned his attention back to the road. He was glad for the clouds hastening sunset, so that he darkness hid his reaction to the sight of her nipples pebbling through the thin cotton.

That was one complication to their easy rapport. He, of course, noticed that she was beautiful, but more than just a beauty...she'd gained a reputation on set, and among fans, for the scenes she wrote between his and Zelena's characters.

A reputation he could attest was well earned. Even in screenplay format, the dialogue and situations she created were so sexy. That sort of material had definitely helped the show, and the characters, gain popularity.

Robin was only human, and he couldn't help but wonder what she’d be like in bed if she could convey such sensuality on the page! 

And that was a troublesome line of thought because he didn't need to be creating even more on-set gossip than was already floating around. More than that, though, he did genuinely like her and didn't want to do anything to offend her.

Of course, that didn't stop him from imagining that she must be an absolute goddess.

"How is Henry?" he asked, turning his attention back to safe topics.

"He's doing well. He seems to have adapted to his school here. He doesn't have a lot of friends, but...he didn't back in LA either," she commented sadly.

"He'll be alright," Robin assured her, "Some kids are loners."

"I know," she sighed, "I was."

"I still am apparently," he commented warily.

"That's true," she agreed, "Why is that?"

"Well, it doesn't help that most of the people I work with are a bit unbearable."

She chuckled, "Jones seems okay...when he can tear himself away from the mirror."

Robin agreed with that assessment.

“What about you?” he asked, “I believe I read on the gossip blogs that the writers’ room is a war zone.”

Regina sighed, “Cold war, I’d say. Why does it always seem like no one on the sets of these shows can get along?”

“We’re getting on now,” he pointed out, “Perhaps we’ll have to set the example?

She smirked and raised an eyebrow, “The lead actor friends with one of the writers? How would that even work?”

“You’re the writer, you tell me,” he threw the challenge back to her.

Biting her lips against a smile, Regina pretended to think the question over.

“Well...,” she drawled, “It’d require some sacrifice on your part.”

“Is that so?”

“I’m afraid it is.”

“Like what?”

“Well you see you’d have to…” she paused for dramatic effect, “...acknowledge my existence.”

A small chuckle escaped him, but he managed to hold it down enough to play along, “I see, and how exactly would one go about that?”

“Little things such as noticing when I’m in the room, or perhaps speaking to me on set even when there others present to witness it,” she elaborated.

“What you mean like everyday?” he asked, feining horror at the idea.

“Oh, Good Lord, no!” she answered, “I’m a writer, that’s far too much social interaction for me!”

He barked out a laugh at that.

She laughed as well, looking out the window, “It does mean a lot to me, you know.”

“Hm?”

“That we’ve gotten along in the times we’ve talked,” she explained, “It’s...nice.”

“It means a lot to me too, Regina,” he said, “And I meant it, we should get to know each other better.”

A smile crept across her lips, “I’d like that.”

Their eyes met for a moment before had to turn his attention back to driving. 

Regina cleared her throat and pointed to one of the flats, “That’s me up ahead.”

Signaling, he pulled over and parked. Regina gathered up her things, shoving her wet jumper into her satchel and shrugging back on her blazer.

“Here, take this,” Robin handed her his umbrella.

“No, that’s yours,” she shook her head.

“I have many others, and, at this point, i don’t believe you’ll ever actually bother buying one!” he insisted.

She accepted it with a ‘thank you’ and climbed from the car. As she moved around the front onto the pavement, he pushed the button to wind down the window.

“Regina!”

She turned back,“Yes?”

“Just so you know, I always notice when you’re in a room.”

He noted with satisfaction that her jaw dropped at the statement. Before she could come up with one of her witty responses, however, he started up the engine, wished her goodnight, and drove on leaving her standing on the street under his umbrella in stunned silence.


End file.
